Tag Archives: dairy-free

If you’ve been following me for a while, you may know that I have a major soft spot for Carob that goes back to childhood! It was the ‘chocolate’ of choice that my Mum would buy for me, and amazingly enough the wholefood ingredient of Carob itself is still one of my favourite creamy, sweet wholesome foods when I feel like a treat!

So, what exactly is Carob?Besides being one of the most delicious earthy flavours/foods on earth, it is a legume ~ a bean that grows on a tree and is native to the Mediteranean and The Middle East. It grows in Australia among other dry warm climates and is one of the only known trees that can withstand severe drought without dying. It is a hearty, strong and resilent tree!

Being a legume, Carob is quite high in plant based protein, making it a great ingredient for Vegans and Vegetarians to incorporate into home-cooked recipes for extra oomph. Aside from it being nutritious, Carob is naturally sweet and creamy and when the bean is roasted and made into a powder, it is the perfect subsitute to Cacao or regular Cocoa powder for making Chocolate. It can even be a great substitute for sugar, as it has such a beautiful natural sweet taste.

Do you or your kids love Chocolate Milk, but want a healthier, cleaner, more nutritious option?

Well my friends, I have just the thing for you!

Hazelnut Carob Dream ~ aka: the best Chocolate Milk ever!

It’s super simple to make, will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days after making and requires only four ingredients.

Ingredients:

2 cups of soaked hazelnuts

1/4 tsp of sea salt

2 heaped tblsp of roasted carob powder

4 cups of water (filtered water or spring water)

*a piece of cheese cloth or a nut-milk bag for straining the milk once blended. (Ask your local health food shop, most shops stock these bags.)

To make this delicious milk follow the following simple steps:

Add soaked hazelnuts to your blender

Add water

Add sea salt

Now blend on high speed for 2-3 mins

Place your cheese cloth or nut bag over a large jar or jug.

Pour the contents of the blender into the bag/cloth and strain out the fibre, so you just have the milk in the jar/jug.

Once strained, place the solids to the side (you can reuse these in another recipe or compost them.)

Next add the milk back into your blender to ‘Carob-ify’ it! :) Add your roasted carob powder and blend for 2-3 mins until blended and smooth.

Next pour into a clean glass bottle or jar and drink or store in the fridge for when you feel like a smooth creamy snack!

Traditionally ‘Chai’ is made using black tea, Cow’s milk and a lot of sugar. These traditional Chai recipes can have their place. In India Chai is a social currency and without the black tea, milk and sugar it is quite possible that the train stations would stop and India would come to a stand-still. It really is a huge part of life and if you have ever sampled the Chai over there, you will know that it can be quite addictive!

This ‘Spiced Turmeric’ Chai Recipe is a delicious ‘medicinal’ (yet still so yummy) Chai that is warming, grounding, nourishing and calming all year round, through each season and time of the day or night.

It can be made with fresh Almond milk, Rice Milk or purely on water for a ‘dairy-free’ alternative or with a Organic Unhomogenised Cow’s milk for a more grounding, rich brew.

The choice of milk is up to you. Listen to your body and what it feels would be most balancing. Using the purest quality Organic Spices will make a difference, allowing for not only greater nutritional goodness within the spices to be available for your body, good quality spices will also offer greater flavour, aroma and will give your Chai a touch of magic!

Ingredients:

Fresh Turmeric Powder

Fresh Ginger

Cardamon pods

Cinnamon powder & or stick.

Cloves (optional)

Nutmeg (optional)

Fennel seeds

Rice Milk (Organic Un-homogenised Cow’s milk can also be used).

The secret to this Chai is to use an abundance of fresh Ginger! You can grate the Ginger or slice it finely. The quantity is up to you.